Game Day Shirts for Cheerleaders and Spirit Squads

A cheer or spirit squad has two audiences buying the same shirt: the squad members themselves and the parents and siblings supporting them from the sideline. That double audience is what makes a squad shop reliably outsell a single-team shop of the same size. Here is how to build a game day shirt lineup for a cheer or spirit squad that covers both groups without overcomplicating the design.

What We Print, and What We Do Not

A lot of cheer shirt searches look for glitter, sequin, rhinestone, or bling finishes. Those are specialty embellishment techniques applied by hand after printing, and they are not part of the Bear Grips catalog. What we do well is bold custom graphic printing and embroidery: a squad name in a sparkly-looking metallic ink treatment, a large glitter-style graphic font, or an embroidered squad name on a hat or hoodie. The visual effect can get close to a bling look through design choices even without an actual rhinestone finish.

The Core Cheer and Spirit Squad Lineup

• Squad tee. Team name, mascot, and colors, worn to practice and games alike.
• Oversized or cropped tee. A popular fit choice among squad members for a more current look.
• Competition tee. A design specific to a regional, state, or invitational date.
• Family and sibling tee. A simpler "Cheer Mom" or "Cheer Sister" version for supporters.
• Cheer shorts. For practice and warm-up wear, matched to the squad colors.

See all-star cheer gym merch for more on how competitive gyms structure a full merch program.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Competition-Specific Designs Drive Repeat Purchases

Squads that put out a fresh design for each big competition (regionals, state, a named invitational) create a natural collector pattern. Parents and squad members who already own the season's practice tee will still buy the "Regionals 2026" or "State Bound" shirt because it marks a specific moment, not a generic season design. This is the same mechanic that drives multiple purchases from the same football family across a season.

Fabric and Fit Notes for Cheer Apparel

• Cotton tees work best for everyday spirit wear and sideline shirts.
• Cropped and oversized cuts are popular with squad members as a current fashion choice, separate from the standard team fit.
• Cheer shorts should be ordered in the squad's actual practice size range, not assumed from a standard tee size.
• Plus-size options matter here as much as anywhere. Cheer moms and family supporters come in every size, and a shop that only lists small sizes loses those sales.

Setting Up a Squad Shop That Both Groups Actually Use

List the squad tee and the family version side by side rather than making parents dig for a "fan" section. Keep the shop link posted in the same team communication channel used for practice schedules so it becomes routine to check before a big event. A squad or gym opening a shop through Bear Grips Pro Shops pays nothing up front and controls the retail price on every piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you add rhinestones or glitter to a cheer shirt?

No. Rhinestone, sequin, and glitter appliques are hand-applied specialty embellishments and are not part of the printing catalog. Bold graphic printing and embroidery are available and can get a similar sparkly-font visual effect.

Do you offer cropped or oversized cheer tees?

Yes, cropped and oversized cuts are both in the catalog alongside the standard fit.

Can family members order a different design than the squad?

Yes. Many squads list a squad-specific tee and a separate family or sibling design side by side in the same shop.

Is there a minimum order for a competition-specific design?

No. A competition tee can be ordered one piece at a time, which works well for a design that only stays relevant for a single event.